


Nights in Iwatobi

by iwatobimadness (bubleboobo)



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nights in Rodanthe AU, Slow Burn, also kisumi is makoto's ex, i really hope this is better than the actual nights in rodanthe, makoto and haruka stuck together in the swim club for three days, makoto can't say no to save his life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-11
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-05-06 02:36:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5399684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubleboobo/pseuds/iwatobimadness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by Nights in Rodanthe (the movie), which is awful but has an interesting premise; this is pretty much the same idea, only with (what i hope are) actual interesting characters and relationship developments.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. So much for being practically unable to say no to pretty much anything

Makoto wishes he could go home right now.

Home where there is hot chocolate, a comfortable sofa and his favorite soap opera waiting for him; home, where he can rest and eat, and read book after book on the long evenings, which is how he has been spending most of his days since university stared. Of course, right now, it’s summer, but old habits die hard. Plus, reading is something he genuinely enjoys; he finds it incredibly nice, to get lost from this world, for a little while at least, to whatever the author wants to talk about. It simply fills him with wonder.

Makoto really wishes he could go home right now, but that’s not what the weekend has in store for him. So much for being practically unable to say no to pretty much anything, he thinks, as he places the ‘open’ sign on the Iwatobi Swim Club door. 

Sasabe had asked him to watch the swim club for the long weekend, since he was traveling to another city for his cousin’s wedding, and of course Makoto had said yes, since it was obvious that Sasabe needed a hand on this, and he trusted Makoto, and he had been his swimming coach back on his elementary school days. Also, rumors said there was a hurricane was coming during those days, and a person would be needed to watch over the place if that were to happen.  
Makoto was that person, but it was not that bad. Even if it was not exactly his idea of fun, it meant he had the pool for three days, and if the hypothetical storm wasn’t too bad, he could even invite Rei and Nagisa. It would be fun, the three of them swimming like in the old times.

It was even a little exciting the idea of sleeping on the club; there was a small room on the back of the place, with a single bed and a light, which no one ever used. There was also a small kitchen the instructors used during their lunch breaks; the fridge was almost empty, tho, with only some cans of food and bottled water. That didn’t excite him as much.

He sighed as he thought of this, getting behind the counter at the beginning of his three-day adventure. There were no classes until eight, but he had gotten up early and he didn’t really have anything else to do, so he sat up and quickly checked the agenda. There were only two classes that morning, for the kids, and then some free hours for any members who wished to make use of the pool. 

Not many people came on Fridays, tho, so there was quite a tranquil day ahead of him. And after that, it was going to be him and him alone.

Or so he thought.


	2. A person, so very unlike any other

It was a longer morning than he had expected. Maybe it was due to his complete lack of activity, sitting on the same place for four hours straight, but it wasn’t as if he could simply leave. He was responsible for the club, so he remained there, smiling dearly to any child or parent who crossed the door, greeting people, making small talk with the instructors when they were not busy.

It wasn’t terrible, but he was craving some activity right now.

Things got better when Nagisa arrived at one, beaming and running to greet him. He usually stopped by on Fridays, when the pool wasn’t so crowded, and stayed for about two or three hours before going to Rei’s home to study. They were both on their last year of high school.

Rei, on the other hand, usually came by on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the only days when he had free time. Rei was a very busy person. He had somehow managed to squeeze swimming into his other activities which included but were not limited to: atheism club, robotics club, math club, student council, dancing, and dating Nagisa. Nagisa and Rei had been together for two years, and even if there were not two people more different in personality and style than them, they seemed pretty happy together.

Even if Makoto really admired him, he didn’t really envy the fact that lately Rei barely had time to spend with his friends and loved ones.

Only that Makoto couldn’t spend time with a meaningful someone, since that person was, in few words, inexistent.

Yeah, he didn’t really like to think about that…

His last relationship hadn’t ended exactly well. He had found Kisumi on the lockers room with another guy getting… well, not steamy, but _kissing_. _Passionately_ … Somewhat, at least. Kisumi had sworn over and over again that he could explain, but an explanation wasn’t really required. Makoto had noticed he had been somehow distant the last few months, and had started to suspect for a while before finding his boyfriend kissing another.

No, it hadn’t ended well, by any means.

Which made even worse the fact that Kisumi had texted him last night saying wanted to get back.

He had given up trying not to think about that.

Kisumi was genuinely a nice person. Him and Makoto had been friends since elementary school, always together; he was a good friend and had been a good boyfriend for the most part of their relationship. Makoto couldn’t really bring himself to be mad at him. But still… he doubted that they could go back to the way they were, with what had happened standing between them like a very upsetting ghost.

It was all very confusing, so Makoto tried to replace the thoughts in his head with whatever Nagisa was talking about. They had a good time. The swam a little until Makoto had to go answer a call from Sasabe, who was asking how he was doing on his first day and thanking him for about the hundredth time.

Then, at three o’clock, Nagisa left to study, so Makoto found himself once again alone. An hour passed of pure boredom, watching the few members of the club going back and forth in the pool and relaxing to the sound of water splashing around him.

He was beginning to wonder what he could eat for lunch when he came in. _A person, so very unlike any other._


	3. The rumors of the hurricane were true, then

Honestly it is a normal sight the first time. Just a normal boy, if only a little stoic and a bit too serious for his age, but he’s normal; then again, he is also very reserved, it seems, since he doesn’t say a word when he comes to show Makoto his member ID,  and not once does he speak to any other person in the pool. Yeah, that was indeed rare.

But that was not what caught his attention. It wasn’t until Haruka (that’s the name his ID had) dived gracefully into the water. That was the moment Makoto knew this person was special.

It was painfully beautiful, the way he moved in there; like he was part of the water, like they could become one.

Makoto knew it was rude to stare, but he couldn’t really help it. This guy was most likely a professional swimmer, with his perfect technique and all. Makoto, an above average swimmer himself, felt the urge to go and swim next to him, but he resisted, staring at the papers on the counter instead.

He wasn’t strong enough to resist peeking sometimes, tho; it was truly amazing. He tried to remember a last name on the person’s ID, but he couldn’t. He wanted to know so he could perhaps associate him with any Olympic swimmer.

Would it be too weird to go and ask him after he was done…?

 No, not at all, he decided. He still felt a little nervous at the idea, tho; the boy hadn’t looked very friendly, but it was an understandable question, giving his amazing skills.

Makoto set his mind to do so as soon as Haruka got out of the pool. It couldn’t be that hard, after all, just a question.

He rested on the chair, the calming sound of tiny raindrops on the pavement seething him.

\--

Somewhere between 5:30 he fell asleep.

\--

He then woke to the sound of heavy drops of rain hitting the glass doors. He looked around and noticed the strong wind outside of the swim club, howling. There were some people near the counter, putting big coats on and grabbing their big umbrellas, and some others fresh out of the pool chatting nervously about the storm.

The rumors of the hurricane were true, then. What a pity.

Makoto knew there were things he was supposed to do in those cases, so he checked the list Sasabe had left him and set off to work. He announced to all the people on the  He made sure all the windows and doors in the building were closed, he made sure he had extra blankets for the night, and he was on his way to check the generator was working fine when he noticed the swim club was empty. All the students and kids and instructors had already left.

Good, Makoto thought; the rain was falling hard and the wind was really strong right now. It would be a terrible idea to go out in a situation like this.

So he went to the pool to tidy a little the swimming material and to check if someone had left something behind so he could put it in the lost-n-found box. Or that was his plan, until he noticed the not-so-empty pool.

Mother of God, there was someone swimming gracefully in the pool. The sight was hypnotic and beautiful and all, except for the fact that there wasn’t supposed to be anyone on the pool right now. Not with the hurricane unleashing outside, at least.

“Hey!” Makoto called the person, trying his best to remain calm. “Eh… umm… excuse me?”

He wasn’t sure the person had heard him, but he was certain when Haruka stopped on the end of the pool, taking off his googles and staring at him with those ocean-blue eyes.

“Yes?” He said, and he sounded upset to be interrupted.

“You- err – Well, you are not supposed to be at the pool past eight.” Makoto said, feeling awkward under that stoic stare.

Haruka was silent for a long moment; Makoto wasn’t sure he was going to reply at all.

“Sasabe usually lets me swim after he closes the club.” He said, after all.

“Well, sorry. Umm, he didn’t mentioned it…” Or maybe he had and Makoto hadn’t heard him?

“I see.” Haruka said simply.

His eyes were really, really blue. Did the water of the pool had something to do with how intensely they were shinning right now or were they always like this?

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind you staying after we close, that’s not the problem. It’s just that-“ Makoto was interrupted by a loud thunder.

A small trace of surprise cracked in Haruka’s neutral face. “Oh.”

“Yeah…” Makoto said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Today the biggest hurricane in history fell upon us. The weather’s really rough right now. Reaching your car will be a quite interesting quest, but you should go now before it becomes worse. I think there’s even an umbrella Sasabe keeps in the storage, I can borrow it to you until-”

“I don’t have a car.” Said Haruka, calmly; Makoto felt dread setting in the pit of his stomach. “I always walk here.”

_Well, shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they finally talk!

**Author's Note:**

> so, there it goes.


End file.
